The Conservation Commission voted earlier this year for an emergency closure of the ruffed grouse season, which was to run from Oct. 15 through Jan. 15. Low grouse population numbers were cited as the reason for the emergency closure. The action supersedes information printed in the 2010 Summary of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which were printed before the decision to close grouse season.

Ruffed grouse are native to Missouri, located at the southwestern edge of the species’ historic range. Habitat destruction and unregulated market hunting largely eliminated them from Missouri forests by the 1930s. This is the first time in more than 25 years there will be no ruffed grouse hunting season. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation says that does not necessarily mean ruffed grouse hunting is gone forever.

The Conservation Department launched a successful ruffed grouse restoration program in 1959, and Missouri had its first modern hunting season in 1983. Grouse numbers remain low in spite of repeated attempts to reintroduce grouse in areas with suitable habitat as late as 1994. The Conservation Department and the Ruffed Grouse Society are seeking a source of grouse to resume reintroduction work.

“It didn’t make sense to have people hunting grouse if we were going to be bringing them in from other states to try to build the population,” said Wildlife Division Chief DeeCee Darrow. “Our grouse numbers are so low right now that very few hunters pursue them, and very few are taken each year. This is probably a good time to pause and regroup.”
(MDC news release. Grouse photo by Jim Rathert.)